Quick Bits: Recap, Joba/K-Rob, Garza, Haren, Downs

Here are a few quick items on the day: Thanks to Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez, the Yankees beat the Indians last night, 3-2. The Yankees actually won without Joba Chamberlain, as Dave Robertson setup for Mariano Rivera. Boone Logan also helped in the eighth last night. Joe Girardi said the bullpen calls were matchup-based. [...]

Letting Damon and Matsui walk — maybe it was for the best?

On the season, former Yankee turned Tiger, Johnny Damon, is currently hitting .274/.363/.402. After hitting 24 home runs in 2009, a year later, Damon has only swatted 3 homers and is on pace for less than 10 total. Meanwhile, Hideki Matsui, outfielder/designated hitter for the Angels, is batting an anemic .261/.332/.424 with 9 homers. Though [...]

Bobby Wilson not upset with Mark Teixeira

Via Lyle Spencer of MLB.com: “It’s baseball,” [Wilson] said. “From Tex’s standpoint, he was playing baseball. That’s the way the game’s played. I have looked at it to see if there was enough plate there. I probably won’t.” In the second half of the 2008 season, Wilson had a locker next to Teixeira’s in a [...]

Overreacting to Javier Vazquez’s latest start

I saw this over at Sliding Into Home and figured a response was necessary: I think it’s time we accept that Javier Vazquez is a gutless bitch who cannot handle New York or the American League. After today’s stinker, the goat of 2004 is now 1-3 with an ERA of 9.00, and clearly the weak [...]

Open Thread: When will it end?

When will Joe Girardi see that playing Marcus Thames in left field is a bad idea? More Brett Gardner, please. Photo by Reuters Pictures

G18: Yankees @ Angels

Here are the lineups for today’s game: YANKEES (12-5) Derek Jeter SS Nick Swisher RF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez 3B Robinson Cano 2B Jorge Posada DH Marcus Thames LF Curtis Granderson CF Francisco Cervelli C PITCHING: RHP Javier Vazquez (1-2, 8.27 ERA, 5.83 FIP) ANGELS (9-10) Maicer Izturis SS Bobby Abreu RF Torii Hunter [...]

Pettitte’s strong start

After Andy Pettitte’s latest start, in which he struck out 8 Angels over 8 innings (0 BB), allowing 1 ER on 6 hits, the grizzled left-hander now has 3 wins, and sports a stellar 1.29 ERA and a 2.51 FIP. The 1.29 ERA signals the best April mark of his long career, while the 2.51 [...]

G17: Yankees @ Angels

Here are the lineups for today’s game: YANKEES (11-5) Derek Jeter SS Brett Gardner LF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez DH Robinson Cano 2B Nick Swisher RF Curtis Granderson CF Ramiro Pena 3B Francisco Cervelli C PITCHING: LHP Andy Pettitte (2-0, 1.35 ERA, 3.12 FIP) ANGELS (9-9) Erick Aybar SS Bobby Abreu RF Torii Hunter [...]

Nick Johnson out with lower back stiffness

Nick Johnson won’t face Joel Pineiro today, as he isn’t in the starting lineup. Via Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger, we learn that Johnson is experiencing some lower back stiffness, which was likely brought on from his extra batting practice yesterday, hence the day off (this appears to be a minor issue, however, so I [...]

Flipping Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson

For most of the season, Nick Johnson has hit second in the Yankees’ lineup. While the plate patience has certainly been there, Johnson has failed to do much else, as his line stands at .135/.375/.231. Meanwhile, Curtis Granderson, who has primarily hit in the seven-hole, is batting .268/.349/.482 on the season. Whereas Johnson has been [...]

Quick Bits: Recap, Joba, Park

Here are a few quick items on the afternoon: A.J. Burnett grinded through 6 1/3 innings yesterday (9 H 4 ER 2 BB 3 K), but the Yanks fell to LAA, 6-4. In the affair, the Yankees stranded 16 men, but it was Joba’s ineffectiveness that gave the Angels the win. The Yankee bullpen could [...]

G16: Yankees @ Angels

Here are the lineups for tonight’s ballgame: YANKEES (11-4) Derek Jeter SS Nick Johnson DH Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez 3B Robinson Cano 2B Jorge Posada C Curtis Granderson CF Nick Swisher RF Brett Gardner LF PITCHING: RHP A.J. Burnett (2-0, 2.37 ERA, 3.46 FIP) ANGELS (8-9) Erick Aybar SS Bobby Abreu RF Torii Hunter [...]

Marcus Thames to get plenty of playing time out west

Via Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com: As the part of the left-field platoon that faces left-handed pitching, Marcus Thames has picked up just 10 at-bats so far this year. He’s acquitted himself well in that limited time, picking up five hits. But it’s been Brett Gardner who’s gotten most of the time, with 30 ABs.Things should [...]

Javier Vazquez’s velocity will likely improve

Yesterday, I wrote about Javier Vazquez’s fastball, dispelling the notion that he is a hard-throwing strikeout pitcher that has lost some of the life on his four-seamer. Bob Klapisch had wondered if that was the case, however, at this point, after just two starts on the season, such concern is unwarranted. As I noted, Vazquez’s [...]

Morning Bits: Recap, Robinson, Chan Ho, Hughes

Here are a few quick items on the morning: Thanks to a strong outing from Phil Hughes, the Yankees beat the Angels last night, 6-2. Robinson Cano also contributed, going 2-for-4 with 2 home runs on Jackie Robinson Day. While warming up last night, Chan Ho Park hurt his hamstring and will be reevaluated today. [...]

Next Page »